


Our Favorite Song

by grswilliams



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 16:37:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14856333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grswilliams/pseuds/grswilliams
Summary: El Wheeler's daughter asks her Mom why a certain song is her favorite





	Our Favorite Song

Chicago, IL

2011

“Mom, I can’t believe that’s your most played song on iTunes. It’s so cheesy!” exclaimed Melanie Wheeler.

“Well it’s not on your phone so you don’t have to listen to it, now do you?” El Wheeler replied.

Melanie rolled her eyes, looking just like any other thirteen year old would. “I guess not. But why do you listen to it so much?”

El thought to herself, _‘Why indeed?’_

* * *

 

El’s early life was nothing but a series of betrayals.

Betrayed by her country to be used as a weapon.

Betrayed by Brenner, who treated her as nothing more than a science experiment.

Betrayed by the lab workers who were complicit in her abusive treatment.

Betrayed by Hopper to save Will.

Her life could have been nothing but a tragedy, but she met Mike and his friends on a cold rainy night and everything changed. Of course, it seemed like it was still going to be a tragedy when she had to say goodbye to Mike just a few days later. Killing the Demogorgon, the frigid month in the woods, 353 days of separation from Mike, and facing the Mind Flayer were all events from a tragedy.

But her life wasn’t a tragedy.

She closed the gate.

She had a real father.

She had friends that would do anything for her.

She had Mike.

She had a life full of love and laughter. It wasn’t perfect, but no one had a perfect life.

* * *

 

When the song first came out in the summer of 1987, she was surprised when Mike told her how much he liked it. Mike wasn’t normally that interested in pop music, but this song was the exception. When she asked him why he liked it so much, Mike said, “Just listen to the chorus and you’ll understand.”

So she listened to the song, and looked at the liner notes for the lyrics.

Then she understood.

Hardly a day went by that either El or Mike, or both, listened to the song.

While, “Every Breath You Take”, was _their_ song, because it was their first dance, it wasn’t their favorite. This song was their favorite.

They bought the album on cassette and wore it out, then they bought it on CD, and once they got their first iPod, on iTunes.

They played the song through high school, college, marriage, and children.

* * *

 

El looked over at Melanie and said, “Sweetie, just listen to the chorus and you will understand.”

So, Melanie did,

_Never gonna give you up_  
_Never gonna let you down_  
_Never gonna run around and desert you_  
_Never gonna make you cry_  
_Never gonna say good bye_  
_Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you_

And she understood.

No matter how cheesy the song was to others, or how it was used as an internet meme, the chorus, for Mike and El, was a promise they made to each other, and when they were born, was a promise they made to their children.

And a promise is something that you never, ever, break.

 

**Author's Note:**

> The first known Rickroll occurred in May 2007 on 4chan’s video game board and had become widespread by May 2008. 
> 
> If you want to see a really great version of the song (yes I’m not kidding, I will fight you), look up Rick Astley with Choir! Choir! Choir! - Never Gonna Give You Up, on You Tube.


End file.
